Terminal In Modern Warfare 3, How Footage Was Leaked and All The Latest Info

Following up from our previous articles regarding the leaked gameplay footage and basic information of one of MW2’s most popular maps, Terminal, we here at MP1st would like to pull all known info together into one article so you don’t have to search about and look at an abundance of tweets or forum posts!

The following details we have regarding the old MW2 map making an appearance on its successor – of which have been gathered up by reading tweets of Infinity Ward’s Executive Producer, Mark Rubin, as well as his big push to respond to questions from the community – are as follows:

Note that Infinity Ward and Activision have not publicly/officially announced Terminal as DLC content so far.

Terminal

Free for all users, both non-ELITE and ELITE premium subscribers will get it

When asked whether or not Terminal would follow the same Premium DLC or be released as a Free map, Mark Rubin responded by saying the map will definitely be “free” and will not follow the same ELITE-style content calendar; citing that Terminal will be a “stand alone Map” and be released for “everyone”.

Xbox 360 will “most likely” get Terminal before other platforms; still to be fully confirmed

Mark Rubin is uncertain that Terminal will be released on all platforms at the same time. He reaffirms that he is “not 100% sure yet” if Terminal comes out on Microsoft’s console first, but goes on to say that he “believe[s] PS3 has to get Terminal 30 days after Xbox”. He has reached out to ‘Legal’ (the department body that governs contracts so they are not broken and other legal rights have not been breached) to clarify but has not received any news yet. He “hopes” to get more information by the end of the week.

Terminal may “not necessarily” be released on a Tuesday; map itself could potentially be a Title Update (“Patch”) but most likely a DLC drop

As Tuesday is Microsoft’s patch day and also the standard day for when their Marketplace is updated, people would be safe to assume that the map would be released then. However, that may not be the case. Mark exclaims that they can release it for when it is ready. The map could arrive as part of a Title Update but he goes onto detail that ‘patches’ have size limits of which may require the map to be downloaded manually off the XBOX Marketplace and Playstation Store, while a Title Update activates it to be able to be played in multiplayer. While this information conflicts with the fact that that “everyone will get it”, further details remain vague and scarce.

The Exec Producer has been extremely optimistic in the sense that the map will hit gamers within the next few weeks. He has been vocal to say that the map is ready to deploy but wants “everything to be ready” as there is still “lots to coord[inate]”. He confirms that the map will be out “as soon as [he] has a firm launch date” and “didn’t want to give people a [release] date and then change it on them”. Once they get “deployment issues” out the way, they will be able to confirm a definite release date.

Terminal does not require any major “gameplay changes”; had a quick “art” and “playthrough” pass to test.

As the Modern Warfare 3 engine is an upgraded MW2 engine, Terminal requires little gameplay changes other than checking to see if everything from MW3 works on the older-styled map – examples include the Assault Drone and if it could surpass the inflatable tube/stairs and to see if Strike Package rewards would work correctly. The art pass was to upgrade the map to look like a MW3 map – Mark Rubin answered a question about the changes, and mentioned that the tilting for ‘Burger Town’ has been changed from English to Russian characters to keep consistency and suit the environment.

Leaked images and footage clarification, which has now been removed through a copyright claim by Activision; how people managed to access the map despite not being made available.

When asked how people managed to attain the map, Mark Rubin explains that the map is “not on the disk” and that modders managed to hack into their “Development environment” and “downloaded it” from there, as reported by moriarty1975 on our forums.

Mark Rubin “hopeful” about more MW2 maps; Terminal remains as the only returning old map for now.

When asked about the possibility of other fan favourites from COD4/MW2 returning, he answered vaguely. While not confirming any further old maps to make reappearances (like Favela, Highrise, Crash and others) he did not explicitly rule it out. Terminal will be the only map “for now”.

With that vast amount of information crunched down into an easy-to-refer-to paragraphs, we hope you are more adequately informed! If you have any more further questions regarding Terminal, then please comment below!

I really enjoyed it, despite MW2 shenanigans (noob tubes, etc). Favela and Highrise would have trumped Terminal had they wanted people to vote for any re-releases for me.

http://twitter.com/IMojammer MattW

I think those three are at the top of almost everyone’s list. For me these three were fun maps even if I didn’t do very well on them, and I wonder if that is the case for most others.

mrup2nogud

I demand!! They announce the return of backlot from cod4 if not I’ll accept broadcast from cod4.. I want my favourites back (stamps feet) I’m sick of bad maps.. Lol

mrup2nogud

Bring my favourite map back that map is backlot from cod4… The one with a small construction area two mounted machine guns a large building in the middle with a ladder to the roof and a row of garages at the back… great map that ooh I done some work on there…

https://www.twitter.com/#!/PR0TENTIAL Shawn Kegarise

I’m not quite sure COD4 maps could work with Modern Warfare 3 play-style wise.

http://twitter.com/poklaneNL Mitch Belgraver

This. Almost every CoD4 map is designer around the 3-5-7 killstreak system.

mrup2nogud

if that’s the case I’m sure it would be easy enough for the developers to make that possible..

http://about.me/courtroom Gav // CourtRoom

Agreed. COD4 maps in MW2 was a push – and even then, they were big and open-styled environments that were very adaptable (Overgrown and Crash) but I just don’t quite see them working well in MW3.

http://twitter.com/ColonelBoston Joe

Just an FYI, Terminal has to be released on the XBox360 at least 30 days before any other platforms as per Microsoft’s timed exclusivity deal for ALL Call of Duty DLC (including free DLC — just like the free Face Off maps).

http://twitter.com/poklaneNL Mitch Belgraver

true. But, didn’t get the special editions for Black Ops 2 get 4 classic zombie maps? Also counted as DLC, but didn’t have that 30 days exclusivity.

http://about.me/courtroom Gav // CourtRoom

Yes, but the whole clause here is that the Face Off maps are part of the premium DLC calendar, whereas Terminal isn’t. It’s looking more and more likely that non-360 platforms will get it after 30 days, but there’s still some ambiguity around the matter.

http://twitter.com/Nelson2030 Nelson Batista

“Terminal does not require any major “gameplay changes”; had a quick “art” and “playthrough” pass to test” just like the whole game !

http://about.me/courtroom Gav // CourtRoom

I’d agree to a certain point, but going from constantly playing MW2 to constantly playing MW3, there were definite gameplay changes and how maps had to be “experienced”. Terminal in MW3 – judging by the leaked footage, and that Rubin has stated there’s more detail in that of the leaked video – looks very different in the new “MW3 Engine” than what it did.

http://twitter.com/Nelson2030 Nelson Batista

indeed but it wouldn’t be that much different plus why don’t they release at least the most popular maps not only one !? is not like it is much of a work like they themselves have said.

http://about.me/courtroom Gav // CourtRoom

As I mentioned in the article, more nostalgia maps are all but uncertain at this time. They’ve gotta coerce Activision to get these free maps out; they want money for any kind of DLC drop. I would have wanted Highrise and Favela as well, but we’ll see as time develops. I’d assume they’ll be watching the player count and usage of Terminal very closely and try to work something out from there.

mrup2nogud

I think the problem is that people only see the more gimmicky maps in their mind.. The one with the helicopter in the middle.. The one on the rooftop… The airport one… And don’t recall some of the best maps more easily because they don’t have that one particular distinctive feature.. Maps like BACKLOT.. BROADCAST. CREEK. PIPELINE .i believe developers should be think of maps like that at the drawing board stage of new maps.. Those maps I mentioned played out brilliantly most of the time.. IMHO

acashe42

Terminal? Why not scrapyard?

mrup2nogud

lololololol roaring laughter eyes watering!!! You are kidding right? You’ve actually just asked for one of the few maps worse than terminal.. What’s wrong with you? Do you not like fun?… What a shocker!!! Lol

acashe42

Dude I loved it personally, earned most of my nukes on that map. Plus anytime that map came up it was voted for easily….

LilDudeFromAcrossTheStreet

Lovely. High Rise or Scrapyard next plz.

http://twitter.com/NuckFuggets Nuck Fuggets

Nice piece… I would love to play this map on MW3.

http://www.facebook.com/awkenney Aaron Kenney

I want Downpour. Hell… I just want a remake of COD4 on a new engine.

mrup2nogud

Chinatown.. With that nasty pump action… That map was amazing fun as hell..

Jaskdavis

I know i talk alot of smack about COD and them being “Lazy” and “Non-innovative” these past 5 years, But Terminal (MW2) and Nuketown (BLOP’s) are good maps for the series and I am glad to see they are re-releasing them on newer versions of their predecessors, but I dont think they are very “re-imagined” very well (Terminal) since I have not seen Nuketown yet i can’t mention that one lol. Terminal looks just like Terminal MW2 version but with shiny surfaces on some objects and slightly better dynamic lighting!? I am a HUGE Battlefield fan and started off from COD and made a joke in response in a post to the article yesterday that stated “They are lazy ;P” another “Kid” said in fury “So it’s ok for BF3 to remake maps from BF2 but Not ok for BLOP’s 2 to do the same thing, and BF had 7 years to make NEW maps?” It was a joke first of all, and just because BF2 and BF3 are “in order” sequels, DICE made 7 BATTLEFIELD Games with all NEW maps Between BF2 and BF3… lol. Now back to the point, this is a good thing for COD to do and maybe Next gen they will have a NEW engine and totally remake the best COD maps as some kind of “Classic” DLC, as for me… I still waiting for BF3 to make an “Back to Bad Company” DLC, but I wont hold my Breath

http://www.facebook.com/hollywoodkills Blaine Reinsma

Terminal was such a terrible map. People just like it because the map allows them to play like raging homosexuals. Only good map from MW2 was Favela, wish they’d bring that back instead. Also want to see Crossfire from COD4, instead of Crash. Crash was good, but 2 games was enough for it.

http://twitter.com/LeJackalFarCry2 James

I would get MW3 just for playing an MW2 map but then again I don’t play this trash anyways.